The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-03
pEcAlNrNc STEWARDS BoDY.
safe Now in the Cathedral Crypt-Re-
ularkable Story Of It's Recovery.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of Police, George W
Walling, in his book just issued and entitled
"Recollections of New Work Chief of
Police, extracts from which are published
elsewhere in the Tribune to-day, devotes a
cbapter to the history of the robbery of the
grave Of A. T. Stewart, and an account of
the effort to recover the body, and the final
success of the endeavor.
The narrative opens with the exclamation
"My God!n uttered by Frank Parker, the
assistant sexton of old ST. Marks church.
"an hour after dawn one wet and gloomy
Wednesday, in November, 1S1S,n when he
discovered that the body had been stolen.
Parker summoned Sexton Hamill, who
fastened to Judge Hiltons house with the
news.
The vault has been robbed, sir; Mr..
Stewards body has been taken away. | am
sorry"
This was thirty months after the burial.
Judge Hilton called on Supt. Waling and
the famous search for the body was begun.
Inspectors Murray and Dillls were put on the
case On the following morning a reward
Of $25, 600 was offered by Mr.. Hilton at
Mrs. Stewards direction for the return of
The body and for information which would
lead to the conviction of the guilty persons.
A lberalreward was offered even for infor-
nation.
a lawyer name Gen. Patrick H. Jones,
of No $50 Nassau street, called on Mr..
Walling, protesting to have information
which he would impart on proper encour-
agement." Judge Hilton, the writer says,
declared that he would never pay one cent
for Mr.. Stewards bones unless they came
accompanied by the thieves in irons" Jones
next produced a coffin-plate said to have
been sent from Boston. The engraver re-
cognized it as ''the very onen which had
been on Mr.. Stewards coffin. MIR. Walling
went to Boston and found that the package
containing the plate had been left by "a
lady muffled up to her eyes, but no further
information in that direction was obtained.
The robbers next sent piece of paper that
exactly fitted hole which had been cut in
the velvet cover of the coffin. Sexton Ham
i'll now has this and the coffin-plate remains
at Police Headquarters.
THE EXACT STORY TOLD FOR THE FIRST
TIME.
The exact story of the recovery of the
body Mr.. Walling next says he now tells
for the first time. 1t is set down as being
narrated by gentleman ''in a position to
know the facts" Judge Hilton had re-
manned firm in his determination not to
compound a felony" as he expressed it;
but Mrs. Stewards nights became almost
Sle6DleSS WlD0 anxiety.
She was well-nigh driven insane" Cor
respondence with the robbers was there
fore resumed, but 10itraae Of the body or
the thieves was fotfnd until Gen. Jones
called at police headquarters. The writer
goes on:
HE brought with him a parcel and
showed me the contents. They were the
silver knobs and several of the handles be-
longing to the coffin in which the body had
been buried. He also showed me some let
ters which he had received. They purported
10 have been written in Canada and were
signed by Henry G. Romaine' With the
first letter hundred-dollar bill was inclosed
as a retainer for him to act as attorney for
the return of the body, upon the payment
of $3.50, 000"
A LETTER DESCRIBING THE BODY.
The letter purported to give an exact &C
count of the theft of the body at midnight
on Nov. 6, and its being taken in a grocer's
wagon to graveyard at Ons-hundred and
Sixtieth street, whence it was transported
to Pittsburg and thence to Canada, where
it was buried. The letter went on as follows:
Except that the eyes have disappeared,
the flesh is as firm and the features as natu-
raj as the day of the interment, and can
therefore be instantly identified The in
closed piece of paper is exactly the size
of the piece of velvet taken from the cof-
fin, while the small strip sent you will prove
to be of the same piece as that on the
coffin q
This letter explaining how Gen. Jones
had come in possession of the piece of
paper contained also suggestions relative
TO the use of personals in a daily news
paper of this city by which to carry on ne
gotations. The coffin-plate was to be sent
IN answer to a certain form of personal.
The personal was inserted, and the next an
swer, signed by "Romaine," purported to
come from Boston.
FIRST TERMS OF COMPROMISE.
Another personal was inserted by Mr.
Jones' who again wrote to "Romaine."
agreeing finally to act as counsel and say
ing that Judge Hilton was anxious to re-
cover the body. Then the following de-
mand was made on ''Romaine's" part
through Jones:
II. The amount to be paid shall be $780,
000
"2. The body will be delivered to your
self and Judge Hilton within twenty-five
miles of the city of Montreal, and no other
person shall be present.
IS. The money to be placed in your hands
or under your control until Judge Hilton is
fully satisfied, when you will deliver it to
my representative.
a. Both parties to maintain forever
an unbroken silence in regard to the trans
action.
These are the first, last and only terms
which will ever receive attention.
Having communicated the contents of
this letter to Judge Hilton you will await
his decision
Judge Hilton refused the terms and de-
cined to have anything more to do with
personals" "Romainen then ordered
Jones to close negotiations with Judge Hill
ton and open them with Mrs Stewart
No notice was taken of the request. but
Judge Hilton next made an offer of So, 900
for the body. Romano" respectfully but
firmly declined" the offer This closed the
correspondence.
MRS. STEWART OPENS NEGOTIATIONS.
Mr.. Walling concludes the narrative as
follows;
But the distracted widow and her rela-
tlves without the consent of Judge Hilton
opened negotiations on her own account.
The lawyer was still the medium of COM
nunication with the ghouls. Fooled in their
ilrst attempt to secure money, they had
become partly discouraged. and now, in
stead of expecting $500, 900, were willing to
dispose of their dreadful booty for half that
sum.
Mrs. Stewart, after a wakeful night,
gave orders TO have the offer accepted; but
ner representatives obtained a reduction of
ne prlce to $1,000 which sum they agreed
TO pay. The conditions of the delivery
were made quite as severe as those which
ACCOMPANIED the negotiations for the return